Automatic drying device for inked sheets



`Fuly 28, 1936. H. M. KANNEE AUTOMATIC DRYING DEVICE FOR TNKED SHEETS Filed June 28, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l ATTORN EY July 28, 1936. H, M. KANNEE 2,048,870

AUTOMATIC DRYING DEVICE FOR INKED SHEETS Filed June 28, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TRN/k AWK @bw Q/ INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented July 28, 1936 'unirse stares Matth AUTOMATIC DRYING Device Fon INKED e SHEETS Henry M. Kannee, Washington, D. C.

Application June 28, 1935, Serial No. 28,795 l 4 Claims.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for receiving freshly inked sheets from .a stencil applying devicevory a printing or lithographing device and which will hold successive sheets apart and carry them from va reception point to a discharge point, the time lag enabling drying of the ink so that when the sheets leave the apparatus and are superposed, they will not blur or offset on the reverse side of the sheets.

The specic object of the invention is to improve upon the device of my Patent No. 1,883,795 of October 18, 1932, particularly in the provision of a simplied form of gravity conveyor and means for adjusting the conveyor. j

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanying'drawings in which Fig. l is a view in side elevation of an embodiment of the invention, partly broken away.

Fig. 2 is a plan vi-ew of the device.

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation taken on the line S-, Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line 4 4, Fig. 1.

Fig. .5 is a vertical section on the line 5-5, Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 6 6, Fig. 2, somewhat enlarged.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, I have provided a frame comprising four tubular uprights l rising from base members 2 and supporting a lower horizontal frame (Fig. 4) comprising parallel frame members 3 joined by transverse frame members a sleeve 3x being carried by each frame member 3, each sleeve being mounted upon one of two opposed frame members 5. Each frame member 5, at its end, is tted within a lateral boss 6a: of a sleeve 6 adjustably mounted on one of the uprights i, set screws 'l or equivalent means being provided for holding the frame in its adjusted position relatively to the uprights I.

One of the sleeves 3x has cast therewith a laterally and downwardly extending arm 3m:- fcrmed at its lower end with a horizontal bearing apertured to receive a shaft 6, one end of the shaft having mounted thereon a sprocket 9 and the opposite end carrying a bevelled gear l in mesh with a bevelled gear I on a shaft l2.

Above gear l l and cast integrally therewith, or formed separately and secured thereto, is a gear i3. Shaft l2 rotates about a bearing Ill mounted in boss l5 of frame member 3.

Opposite boss l5 on frame memb-er 3 is a similar boss l5, and the second frame member 3 is formed at each end with similar bosses Il and I8,

.boss I6 having rotatably mounted therein a sha-ft I9 carrying a gear 2i), boss il having rotatably y mounted therein a shaft Zicarrying gear 22and boss lhaving rotatably mounted therein a .shaft 2'3 carrying a gear 2li.

Each of transverse frame members ,intermediate itsY end, is formed with an apertured boss 25 'receiving shafts 26 carrying intermeshing gears 2l., 27x, gear 2l being also in mesh 'with gears I-3 and 213, whereas, gear 211x is inmesh with gears and 22.

VWhen shaft 8 is rotated, the interconnecting gear system will rotate shafts I9 and lain opposite directions, shaft .2l vin the same direction as Shaft I9, and shaft 23 in the same direction as shaftl2. f y 1 Each of uprights l is received within the vertical aperture of an elbow connector28,ythefhorizontal apertures of the elbowsnreceiving,longitudinal top frame membersa'whieh 'maybe tubular in form, the saidframev members lreceiving and Supporting the end sleeves E@ of abr'acket. comprising the parallelarms .3i andthe; transverse arms Six. inwardly `spaced,frorfnbut adjacent sleeves 30each`arm Sluis-'formedywith an enlargement 3 2 having a central"aperture internally flanged at 32a', Fig. 6, tore'c'eive an antifriction bearing 33, which, in turn, receives the upper end of the vertical extension 3dr of a spiral feeding member 341, the latter being threaded at its top to receive a nut 35, and preferably being flanged immediately below the bearing 33, as shown at 34339:. The anti-friction bearing may be covered by a cap plate 33x.

It will thus be seen that four spiral conveyors are rotatably supported in the top frame, and each of these conveyors at its lower end, is secured to one of the four power driven shafts l2, I9, 2l and 23, as in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3, wherein the rod-like lower extension of the two conveyors therein shown, is projected through a horizontal aperture of shaft l2 or shaft i9, as the case may be. In practice, the conveyor will be held within the aperture by heading its end or by soldering or by any other suitable means.

Each spiral conveyor, illustrated in the drawings, is formed of a continuous length of relatively heavy steel or alloy wire, as, for example, vanadium, nickel-chrome wire, and preferably of non-rusting qualities and substantially resistant to elongation by its own weight.

Inasmuoh as the lower frame may be bodily moved on the uprights l, as, for example, by loosening thumb screws 1, the distance between the convolutions of the four conveyors may simultaneously be adjusted by elongation, or the reverse action, secured through said movement of the lower frame.

As heretofore stated, shafts I9 and 2| rotate in the same direction, and shafts I2 and 23 rotate in the same direction, but opposite to I9 and 2|, and the spiral conveyors will have the same directions of rotation. VIt will thus be seen that when the spiral conveyors are rotated, each in the direction indicated by the small arrow applied thereto in Fig. 2, a sheet laid upon all four conveyors at the top thereof, not only follows the convolutions of the conveyors from the top to the bottom thereof, through the action of gravity, but will tend to be moved in the direction of the arrow a, or, to the right of the said figure.

At the base of the said conveyor systemv and to the right of the frame, I place a receiving tray 36 and the tendency of the rotational movement of the conveyors to eject the sheet, may be aided by an angularly extending guide bar or rod, as indicated at 38, Figs. k1 and 2, as disposed toward the base of the conveyor system opposite tray 36.

As the sheets move downwardly, they are guided by a. plurality of vertical, preferably curved, thin metal guides indicated at 31. .At the discharge or rear end of the machine may be vertically placed a polished thin metal abutment bar 39, the lower end of which will lie above the tray 36 so as to permit the discharge of the sheets successively at the proper point.

At the top of each spiral conveyor, the initial convolution has placed thereon a spiral formed blade, each blade being made as a disk cut from axis to periphery and one side of the cut gradually deflected, axially, until that portion of the blade at the opposite side of the cut liesat a lower level to follow the spiral form of vthe wire conveyor. 'Ihese blades may be made in the same manner as described in my aforesaid patent.

In the use of the device, it will be placed in register with the stencil machine, printing press or other ink-applying device, from which the successive sheets are fed and the rotation of the spiral conveyors will be synchronized with the feeding of the sheets to the device, one sheet passing from the spiral blades to the next succeeding convolutions of the conveyors prior to the receiving of a second sheet, and the sheets being automatically discharged into the tray at the base of the device in like timing.

It will be understood that various modifications may be made in the form and arrangement of the elements illustrated in the drawings without departing from the spirit of the invention; what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

being as follows:-

" jl. In -drying devices for inked sheets, a plurality of spaced vertical shafts, a spiral wire carrier connected to each shaft for rotational move- `ment therewith, a spirally turned blade carried by each wire carrier and adapted to receive an inked sheet, the carrier being adapted to permit gravitational movement of a sheet from an upper point thereof to a lower point thereof, and means for rotating the shafts in synchronism.

2. In drying devices for inked sheets, a plurality of spaced vertical shafts, exible sheet supporting means on each shaft, spiral in form, and adapted to permit gravitational movement of a sheet from an upper point to a lower point relatively to the shafts, means for rotating the shafts in synchronism, and means for adjusting n the length of each spiral carrier to vary the spacing of the convolutions thereof.

3. A device constructed in accordance with claim l, including'means for relatively adjusting the position of the lower and upper stub shafts to increase or decrease the distance between them.

4. In drying devices for inked sheets, a plurality of spiral wire conveyors, an upper frame member and means for rotatably connecting the conveyors to said member, a lower frame member and means for rotatably connecting the conveyors thereto, means for relatively adjusting the frame members to increase or decrease the distance between them, and means for rotating the spiral wire conveyors.

HENRY M. KANNEE. 

